1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a rigid container or canister suitable for storing food products. The container has a plurality of breakaway sections which can be removed in order to reduce the size of the container as the product is consumed. The separation of the sections is initiated by applying pressure to a "thumb cut" score line.
2. Description of Related Art
The desirability of constructing food containers that can be selectively reduced in size as the product contained therein is removed has long been recognized in the food processing industry. Containers that can be reduced in size offer a number of benefits. For example, it is often beneficial to reduce the headspace in a container as the food product therein is consumed. By reducing this headspace, products can be maintained in a fresh state longer and are more securely contained, thus lessening the possibility that the product will be damaged if the container is dropped or mishandled. Reducing the size of the container also reduces the storage space required for such container. Depending on the container shape, it may also be desirable to reduce the distance from the container's opening to the product contained therein. This is often the case when the container in question is not large enough to easily accommodate the human hand. As more of the product is consumed, it becomes necessary to pour the product out in order to gain access to it. By shortening the size of the container as a product is consumed, a consumer may remove the product directly without the necessity of pouring it out of the container. Another benefit of containers that can be successively shortened is that such containers provide a quick visual indication of the amount of product remaining in the container.
Several designs have been developed to address the desirable goal of constructing a container which can be made progressively smaller, thereby reducing the excess headspace. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,250 issued to Dorazio on May 6, 1997, ("Dorazio '250") discloses a container apparatus having a main wall section that can be selectively and repeatedly perforated at different regions to form a plurality of detachable wall sections. These sections can be detached and discarded to reduce the size of the container. U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,736 issued to Roccaforte on Nov. 11, 1986, ("Roccaforte '736") discloses a carton having an upper body portion severable and removable from the lower body portion which can then form a closure cap applied to the lower body portion to re-close the container. U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,929 issued to Krane on May 30, 1978, ("Krane '929") discloses a cylindrical container with axial peripheral rip-strips for shortening the height of the container. U.S. Pat. No. 2,852,179 issued to Bieler on Sep. 16, 1958, discloses a container incorporating a tear tape for tearing-away and shortening the container. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 1,815,800 issued to Respess on Jul. 21, 1931, discloses a container with a plurality of compartments that are detachable by use of cutting strings.
Although the general concept of a breakaway container which can be made progressively smaller is certainly prior art, new designs are constantly attempted in order to increase the reliability of the tear mechanism and decrease the complexity and cost of manufacture. One of the drawbacks of the containers listed above is the use of a rip-string or similar mechanism involving pulling to initiate and complete the tear around the circumference of the container. For example, Dorazio '250 discloses a pull tab connected to a perforating member embedded onto a strip member for this purpose. A similar tear strip is disclosed in the Roccaforte '736 patent. Likewise, Krane '929 discloses a rip-strip which initiates tearing when pulled away from the container. All of these mechanisms involve tabs that are grasped by the fingers and then pulled outward and away from the container in order to initiate a tear. With any product that involves some pulling mechanism, this mechanism may break before a section has been completely torn away or may pull away from the container before accomplishing the desired tearing. In addition, the use of this type of pulling mechanism typically involves a construction requiring a string located interior to the container which can be ripped through the wall of the container or some similar mechanism that can ensure that the entire container wall is severed by pulling on some feature on the exterior of the container. These designs necessarily add to the complexity and cost of the manufacture of the container compared to a container without such features.
Accordingly, a need exists for a relatively simple design of a breakaway container that incorporates a reliable severing mechanism while adding little to no complexity to the manufacturing requirements of the container. Ideally, a food container package consists of two basic layers, an inner barrier layer, usually aseptic, and an outer covering layer which provides rigidity and a surface for applying product identifying marks and marketing features. A need exists for incorporating breakaway features into such elementary container design without adding any additional material required to initiate the break and yet maintaining reliable and repeatable severability. Such a design should be simple and inexpensive to manufacture and intuitively functional to the consumer.